Recipes from a British-Chinese kitchen, mainly pinched from my parents and 婆婆.

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Pappardelle with Pesto

Fresh pesto is one of my favourite, quick comfort meals. The fresh stuff tastes nothing like the stuff on the supermarket shelf, but if you can't be bothered making it, you can now find it fresh in the fridge sections of most supermarkets. Fresh pesto will last for a couple of days in a sealed jar in the fridge, but make sure that it is covered with a layer of oil. If you don't have a food processor, you can mix the ingredients with a pestle and mortar.

When the weather gets a bit warmer, I like to buy a pot of basil and keep it on a sunny window sill, or grow it in a container outside. If you cut it lowish at the stalks, side shoots will pop up and your pot could well last you a couple of months.

Ingredients

Large handful of fresh basil leaves, washed and excess water shaken off

Half a clove of garlic

Heaped tablespoon of pine nuts

Heaped tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese

A tiny pinch of salt

Extra virgin oilve oil

200g pappardelle pasta or pasta of choice

Serves 2

Instructions

Lightly toast your pine nuts in a medium hot pan, until they turn golden. They burn easily so keep an eye on them. Set aside and leave to cool

Heat a large pan of boiling, salted water and add your pappardelle. Cook according to the instructions on the packet

Put the basil leaves, salt, cooled pine nuts and garlic into a food processor, and blend until the mixture is finely chopped

Scrape the mixture back into the bottom of the processor, add the parmesan and a slug of the olive oil. Replace the lid and pulse. Add more oil until you reach your desired consistency

Drain the pasta, place into warmed serving bowls, add the pesto, mix and serve